Content area
Full Text
Child Psychiatry Hum Dev (2009) 40:543559
DOI 10.1007/s10578-009-0143-z
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Deidra J. Young Florence Levy Neilson C. Martin David A. Hay
Published online: 20 May 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009
Abstract The prevalence of attention-decit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been estimated at 37% in the population. Children with this disorder are often characterized by symptoms of inattention and/or impulsivity and hyperactivity, which can signicantly impact on many aspects of their behaviour and performance. This study investigated the characteristics of the SWAN Rating Scale and its discrimination of ADHD subtypes. This instrument was developed by Swanson and his colleagues and measures attentiveness and hyperactivity on a continuum, from attention problems to positive attention skills, using a seven-point scale of behaviour: far below average to far above average. The Australian Twin Attention-Decit/Hyperactivity Disorder Study consists of questionnaire data collected from families in 1990/2007. The Rasch model was used to measure the characteristics of items from the SWAN Rating Scale; how well these items discriminated between those with and without ADHD. The prevalence of each subtype was found to be5.3% for inattentive ADHD, 4.3% for hyperactive ADHD and 4.6% for combined ADHD. A total of 14.2% of the cohort appeared to have ADHD. While the inattentive items appeared to be consistent with each other in their measurement behaviour and response patterns, the hyperactive items were less consistent. Further, the combined subtype appeared to be an entirely different type, with unique features unlike the other two
This paper is dedicated to Dr Kenneth Rowe, Principal Research Fellow, Australian Council for Educational Research, who encouraged me in my quest to understand the Rasch model. Ken was a seless researcher who gave much time to teach me about multilevel modelling in 1988 and onwards. Without Ken I would not be the researcher I am today. Sadly, Ken was defending his holiday home in Marysville in Victoria, Australia on Saturday, 7th February 2009 when he was overcome by the res which claimed the lives of so many from the area. Ken, you were my hero and example. Thank you.
D. J. Young (&) N. C. Martin D. A. Hay
School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, WA, Australia e-mail: [email protected]
F. Levy
School of Psychiatry, Prince of...